Bryant missed a pair from the line but made up for it on the
defense end, rejecting Malone's driving layup.

Utah closed to 103-101 on Marshall's three-point play with four
seconds left, but Bryant made two from the line with a second
remaining to clinch the win. He was 16-of-19 from the line and
handed out eight assists.

"At this point in the season we are a better team than we were
last year," said Bryant, who scored 27 points in the second
half, including 20 in the third period. "We execute better,
we're a smarter team, we play better defense, but it's a long
season and we have to improve."

O'Neal took a jab at the officials. The Lakers were called for
33 fouls and the Jazz 30.

"Five-on-five or eight-on-five, it doesn't matter," O'Neal said.
"We're coming to play every night. We're still on a mission, so
that's the only way that teams like this (Jazz) are going to be
able to stay with us."

The defending champions improved to 2-0, opening the season with
a 98-87 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

"I wasn't concerned when I fouled out," O'Neal said. "I knew
Kobe was going to take over and the other guys would step up.
It's all good."

John Stockton scored 19 points and Malone and Marshall added 16
apiece for the Jazz, who dropped to 0-2. Utah opened with a
119-112 overtime setback to the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I think this was a ballgame that we could have won if we could
have kept our concentration," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.
"We're having a difficult time trying to stay within what we
want to do from an offensive standpoint."

The Jazz played the last 4 1/2 minutes without Stockton, who did
not return after needing seven stitches for a laceration on his
finger.

Marshall and Stockton each scored nine points in the first half,
helping the Jazz take a 47-44 lead at the intermission.

But Bryant took over in the third quarter, when Los Angeles
opened a 77-71 advantage.

Utah tied the contest twice early in the fourth period, the last
time at 82-82 on John Amaechi's jumper with 7:53 to play. Bryant
hit two free throws to give the Lakers the lead for good before
O'Neal's jumper made it 86-82.

With Los Angeles holding a 90-86 lead, Lindsey Hunter's
3-pointer with 4:30 left triggered an 8-1 spurt for the Lakers.

Utah shot 44 percent (35-of-80) from the field while the Lakers
shot 43 percent (33-of-77). The Jazz had a 48-41 rebounding
edge.